Running
by city-bright
Summary: "Come on, let's go. We're running...Somewhere. Anywhere."


**A/N: ****Just a fluffy one shot, post "Danny and Mindy." Inspired by "We Owned The Night" by Lady Antebellum. ****This may seem a bit OOC for Danny, but I think Danny could be this kind of guy for Mindy.**

**I want to gift this both to alittlenutjob and iheartdannyc on Twitter as birthday gifts. (: I hope you guys enjoy it! Love you both!**

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Danny quickened his pace as a gust of cold, crisp New York air hit his face. It was 9 PM, and he was already late. The delivery went a bit longer than expected due to an unexpected breech. Thank goodness the mother and baby are fine, but he's ready for the stress of the day to melt away.

He entered his and Mindy's apartment, and immediately started getting ready. He was supposed to meet the office at Tan Tru at 8 PM for Morgan's birthday get together. He hated birthday parties and anything of the sort, but Mindy's birthday parties weren't so bad, so he kind of warmed up to the idea of them.

He returned to the task at hand, buttoning up the last button of his shirt and then texting Mindy to let her know he's on his way.

Things with Mindy had been pretty wonderful. After the Empire State Building, they walked hand in hand to the nearest restaurant that caught Mindy's eye. They put everything out on the table that night and came out stronger than ever, each knowing and loving that they were it for each other. But still, each morning and each night, he couldn't believe how happy he was. And it was all because of her.

He smiled and let out a content sigh as he exited the cab, ready to see Mindy after a long day at work. He greeted Carlo at the door, grabbed a beer from the bartender, and snaked his way through the packed club to the seating area Mindy had told him about.

Before he could even see her, he heard her chirp his name. "Danny!" With a glass of red wine with ice in hand, she bounded over to hungrily kiss him hello. Tasting the berries from the wine, he playfully bit on her lower lip.

"Hey, Min. Sorry I'm late, breech delivery."

"Oh? Is everyone okay?"

"Yeah, everyone's perfect." He spoke dreamily, looking at Mindy like she was the only one in the whole entire room. She smiled back with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Well, come on! Morgan's going to be happy to see you." She took his hand and led the way back to the seating area.

"DOCTOR CEEEEEEEEEEEE. I'M SOOOOO HAPPPY YOU'RE HEREEEEEE." Morgan drunkenly stood up and gave Danny a slap on the back, which made Danny hunch over in pain more than he would like to admit.

"Yeah, Morgan. Me too, me too. Okay, now sit back down. Look, there's Tamra!"

"TAAAAAAMRAAAAAA. I. love. you."

Danny turned his attention away before he could hear Tamra's remark. He sat down beside Mindy, placing an arm around her to play with the ends of her hair at her shoulder. He looked around and took in the sight before him. He looked at Tamra and Beverly, trying to calm down a drunk Morgan, at Jeremy and Betsy who were speaking as quietly as one can in a club with their heads together, and at Mindy pointing out women for Peter to dance with. These people weren't just his colleagues or co-workers. They were his friends, and dare he say, family. He knew that if this get-together had happened two years ago, he would have dreaded it.

But, Mindy. She brought all of this into his life in the best way possible. She not only opened his life and heart to her, but also to everyone in the office. Sure, he still thinks they can be nosey and unprofessional in the work place at times, but they were his friends, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Morgan's drunken voice took him out of his reverie. "GUYS, GUYS! I just wanna say…th-thank you all for coming tonight. You guuuuuuys," he continued, sharply pointing at each of them, "are the best. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday. I love you guys, especially MY GIRL TAMRA. She's sitting o-over there. SAY HI TAMRA. Anyway, let's dance, people! Especially you, Dr. C. I missed your moves the last time we were here. WHOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

After they collectively cheered and shouted happy birthday wishes to Morgan, they migrated to the dance floor. The group easily fell into a rhythm, each taking turns to dance with the others. After many requests from Tamra and Morgan, Danny tore up the dance floor with his moves, giving Mindy a wink and a smirk every once in a while, and each time Mindy would throw her head back in joyful laughter.

He took her hands in his and twirled her around before firmly wrapping an arm around her waist. They swayed to the upbeat music, and Danny would twirl her around every so often before returning his arm around her waist.

"You look wonderful tonight," he managed to whisper close to her ear. She recoiled and giggled as his hot breath hit her skin, but she firmly pressed her lips where his jaw met his ear, wrapping her arms around his neck, in thanks.

At that very moment, the nightly confetti bursted from all corners in the club. Mindy screamed and laughed in surprise, reveling in the feather light confetti dancing on her skin. Danny took the opportunity to kiss Mindy, deepening the kiss as he dipped her. It was like time stopped, and everything around them stood still. He felt his blood coursing through his veins and the heat radiating out of his body as he pulled Mindy closer, and it was perfect.

He returned her to standing position and tenderly cupped her face, placing one more kiss on her lips. Eyes closed, forehead resting on hers, he said, "Wanna get out of here?" She nodded against his head in agreement. "Really?"

She nodded once again and said, "Yeah, really."

He chuckled because he couldn't believe she actually agreed, but now's not the time to question it. "Okay." He let her face go and slid his hands down the length of her arms and into her hands. "Come on, let's go." Without a thought, he gently pulled Mindy through the crowded club and out into the crisp New York night.

"Where are we going, Danny?"

He laughed and said he didn't know. He looked to his left and then his right, and then an idea sparked. He turned around to face her and said, "Take off your heels. We're running."

"Running? Running where?!" she asked as she leaned against his shoulder for support as she took off her heels.

"I don't know. Somewhere. Anywhere." He grabbed her shoes with one hand and her hand in the other. "Ready?"

She squeezed his hand, ready to take off into the night. She didn't care where they were going, how much she had to run, or how far she had to run, but with him by her side, she'd do anything with him. "Ready when you are, babe."

"Alright. Let's go." With that, he bolted down the street, making Mindy squeal with laughter. They ran as fast as they could run, ignoring the pain developing in their sides, and just grasped each other's hands tighter. He didn't know where they were going, but he'd know when he sees it. He looked at her out from the corner of his eye and saw her smiling through her heavy breathing. He smiled too, never feeling more alive than in this moment, than by her side.

He saw neon lights flashing the word "bakery" down the street, and slowed down to a walk. Hands still clasped together, he swung them back and forth like a little kid. Still a little out of breath, he panted out,"You up for cake?"

"I'm always up for cake, Danny. What kind of question is that?!"

"How could I forget?"

They walked into the bakery, immediately going over to the cake display. "What kind of cake do you want, Min?"

"Black forest cake. Definitely black forest cake."

"Black forest cake it is." He looked at the smiling woman behind the counter and asked for an 8 inch black forest cake to go.

"To go? Where are going next?"

"Uhhh, I'm still working that out, but I have a couple of ideas." He dropped a couple of $20 bills on the counter, told the woman to keep the change and have a good night. Cake box firmly clutched in Mindy's hand, they walked towards their apartment hand in hand. Luckily, their apartment was close by because they were a little worn out from the running.

They walked in comfortable silence to their apartment, just enjoying each other's presence and being out in the city. They never felt the need to fill silences with conversation. They were happy just being together; they didn't need anything or anyone else. On the elevator ride up, Mindy leaned into Danny, rested her head on his shoulder and sighed.

"Getting tired already?" he asked.

"No, no…Just resting for a bit," she replied, dreamily.

"Okay, but don't rest for too long. We still gotta eat this cake, Min." The elevators opened before them, and they walked down the hallway. Before he opened the door to their apartment, he turned around and said, "Wait here. I'll be back in two minutes." He took everything they had on them except for the cake and went inside. Not too long later, he returned with a couple of blankets, pillows and forks.

"Come on. We're going to the roof." Once there, Mindy audibly gasped. The roof was laced with twinkling, hanging lights and a beautiful rose garden, and the Empire State Building peaking out from behind a distant building. "Danny, did you do this for me?"

"I wish I did…I would have anyway, but I remembered one of my neighbors talking about how he made the roof look nicer. I thought this would be a romantic place to hang out tonight." He found an open spot in front of a skylight to place the blanket. He nestled the pillows against the short cement wall. They sat down, shoulder to shoulder. He smiled to himself and remembered how far they've come since the last time they sat shoulder to shoulder in his bedroom before she left for Haiti. He placed the second blanket over their legs and snugly fit the cake box between their knees.

"It's beautiful, Danny. I didn't know I was living below this all this time," she mused as she looked around, resting her eyes on the distant Empire State Building.

"It is beautiful…but not as beautiful as you though."

She turned back to face Danny and gave him a kiss. She wiped the slightest of pink tint off the corner of his lips. "Thank you, Danny. Can we eat the cake now? I'm kind of starving."

Danny chuckled heartily, loving that Mindy would immediately turn her attention to the cake. "Yeah, of course. You first." He handed her a fork, and she began to dig in.

"Oh my god, Danny. This cake is like heaven. You have to try it!"

"Okay, okay, I'm going." He took a bite, but he didn't say anything nor did his facial expression change.

"Good, right?"

"Yeah, it's great. It's a little too sweet, but-"

"Okay, old man," she said with a playfulness in her eyes.

After a few minutes of silently eating cake and enjoying the view, Mindy broke the silence with a sigh. "Danny, I'm tired."

"I am too…Sorry I made you run so much tonight. I know you don't like to run when you don't have to."

"No, I had fun. I'd run with you whenever I need to. I wanted to run with you." She rested her head on his shoulder again. "Tonight was perfect. Thank you." He kissed the side of her head, and then removed the cake box from in-between them. He scooted lower, so his head was resting on the pillow, and pulled Mindy closer. She snuggled up closer to him, head resting just above his heart.

She listened to Danny's rising chest and beating heart and contently sighed into the night, before she fell asleep.

The next morning, they woke up, legs tangled together, to the slowly rising sun and the gentle breeze. Mindy shivered and instinctively burrowed her head into Danny's shoulder as the breeze danced across her bare arm. Danny held her closer and blinked his eyes open a couple of times before closing them again.

"Marry me," he whispered. He felt Mindy stiffen and raise her head.

"What did you say?"

He opened his eyes, smiled that lopsided smile, and whispered again, "I said, marry me. Will you marry me?"

"I-" She nodded her head vigorously. "Yeah…Of course I will marry you, Danny," she shakily breathed.

"Good." He cupped her face with his hand and kissed her gently, marveling the feel of her lips against his. He pulled back once he remembered that she still needed the ring. He reached into his pant pocket, pulled out a sparkling diamond ring, and delicately placed it on her finger. "I love you, Mindy."

"I love you, too."


End file.
